GlobeMed at Rutgers University partners ChangeALife Uganda to improve the lives of orphaned and disadvantaged children and their families in Migyera, Uganda.

GlobeMed at Rutgers University + ChangeALife Uganda

Key FactAccording to the UN Millennium Report for Uganda 2013, 30% of the population of Uganda has no access to clean water.

“GlobeMed student chapters can bring continuing year to year support, insight and planning where both communities – the university and our Ugandan community can grow together. ”
– Jean Semler, President of ChangeALife Uganda

About the Partnership
Recognizing the disadvantages faced by students in Nabbingo and Mygiera, Father Lawrence Kizito Kimbowa partnered with Jean Semler and David Thelen to found ChangeALife Uganda in 2008. Although quality education remains the cornerstone of the operation, ChangeALife Uganda has adopted a three pronged approach in which education promotion is bolstered by healthcare services and income-generation projects for the students’ families. GlobeMed at Rutgers has had the pleasure of working closely with these inspired leaders since the fall of 2014 in their mission to improve the quality of life of these children and empower them to be agents of positive change.

ProjectThe main focus of the project is a WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Health) program that teaches students from Grades 1 to 7 about proper handwashing, gender roles, menstruation, and disease prevention as well as tasked them to go out into their communities and share these practices with their friends and family. The chapter has been able to visit every program and project run by ChangeALife Uganda to assess the impact of each facet of the organization on the ground level and make suggestions as to how the partners could best work together to promote successful, sustainable programs. So far, the chapter has contributed $13,500 to purchase land right behind St. Lawrence Primary School that was in danger of being purchased by another buyer, essentially preventing the expansion of the school. With this contribution, ChangeALife Uganda can now move forward and build teacher accommodations, additional student dormitories, more gardens, and a secondary school to increase their reach.

Impact
GlobeMed at Rutgers hopes to raise $7000 for ChangeALife Uganda during the 2015-2016 academic year. $3500 of that will support the installment of a roof, rain collection and purification system, hand washing station, and pit latrine for one home. Another $3500 will assist community outreach efforts to distribute and share knowledge about reusable, sanitary menstrual pads within the community through the AFRIpads and WASH programs.

Get InvolvedRead GlobeMed at Rutgers University’s annual report and donate to their cause. Interested in joining the chapter? Contact [email protected].